Coal-chute



F. E. GROSVOLD.

COAL CHUTE APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. 1918 Patented Aug, 5, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I WITNESSES v /1 ITOB/I/EVS THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,' WASHINGTON, D. c

F. E. eaosvoLn.

COAL CHUTE.

APPLICATION FIL'ED JUNE 20. I918.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTOR/VEVS FRED E. GROSVOLD, OF EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN.

COAL-CI-IUTE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5, 191a.

Application filed June 20, 1918. Serial No. 240,960.

To all whom it may Concern.

Be it known thatVI, FRED E. GRosvoLD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Eau Claire, in the county of Eau Claire and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Coal-Chute, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 7

My invention relates to chutes for coal and has reference more particularly to means for automatically locking the chute in closed position.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive coal chute which is provided with a suitable latch mechanism which can be placed into inoperative posi tion to allow the chute to be raised, and which chute has means for operating the latch as the chute is raised to place said latch in position to automatically'lock the chute when the same is closed.

With the above and other objects in view,

- the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of the application similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a face elevation of the chute;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the chute door partially raised, the latch being in position to automatically lock the chute when the door is closed;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through the chute with the door closed when the latch is placed into the inoperative position; and

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6 Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 7 is a tubular housing, the ends of which are cut obliquely to the walls of the housing so that the same is placed into an inclined or oblique position relative to the wall 8 to present the ends of the housing in a substantially vertical position, the outer end of the housing being positioned above the inner end, the outer end extending forward of the Wall 8 so that no obstruction interferes with the movements of the cover 9 which is mounted to slide in grooves 10 provided in the sides of the tubular housing 7. The upper end of the door 9 is bent to form a flange 11 so that it will make a stop for the door. The door has also a raised portion 12 forming a grip for the hand to manipulate the door.

-Tl1e housing 7 is preferably of angular cross section. In one of the upper corners a rod 13 is mounted to slide. Upon the rod 13 two spaced collars 1 1 and 14; are secured and upon the rod between the said collars, a collar 14 provided with a hook-shaped finger. 15,.is loosely'mounted. The finger 15 extends through a slot 16 in a casing 17 which is secured to the housing 7. The slot 16 has. an inclined slot portion 18 which serves as a cam surface for the finger 15 and causes the rod 13 to slide, when the finger is alined with the inclined slot portion 18, under the influence of a spring 19 which is mounted on the rod 13 and one end of which abuts against the casing 17 and the other end against the collar 1 1".

When the finger 15 is in the straight position of the slot16 the rod is held retracted to permit the door to be raised. To bring the finger 15 within the straight portion of the slot 16, the rod 13 must be drawn against the resistance of the spring 19, when the finger 15 will by gravity enter the straight portion of the slot 16 thereby clearing the projection 20 on the door 9, consequently the door 9 can be raised when the latch mechanism is in that position.

The door 9 carries also an inwardly directed extension 21 which lies in vertical alinement with the finger 15 when the same is in the straight ortion of the slot 16 (see Fig. 6) thereof. s this extension comes in contact with the finger 15 it moves the finger into alinement with the inclined portion 18 of the slot thereby allowing the spring 19 to move the rod 14 forwardly or into operative position (see Fig. 4:). As the door descends, the extension 21 will not be in a vertical plane with the finger 15 which is in the operative position (see Fig. 6, dotted position of the finger) but the rod 13 will be in the path of the projection 20 and the same will be pushed back until the projection 20 passes, when the rod snaps back under the action of the spring 19 and locks the door 9 in the closed position (see Fig. 2).

engagement with the straight portion of the slot 16 so as to place said latch mechanism into inoperative position.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a coal chute, a slidably mounted door, a springactuated latch locking the door in a closed position, means for maintaining the latch in inoperative position whereby the door may be raised, and means carried by the door adapted to place the latch into operative position after the door has been partly raised whereby when the door is closed said latch will automatically lock the door in the closed position.

2. In a coal chute, a slidably mounted door, a spring actuated latch for locking the door in closed position, means for retaining the latch in inoperative position, and means carried by the door for placing the latch into operative position when the door is moved to the open position so that when the door is closed the latch will automatically look the door in closed position.

3. In a coal chute, a slidably mounted door, a spring actuated latch for locking the strained to move with the latch, a casing for said latch having a cam groove engaged by the finger, and an extension from the door ioroperating the finger while the door is raisedto place the latch into operative position.

4. Ina coal chute, a slidably mounted door, a rod mounted to slide to and from the door, a casing, a spring in said casing engaging the rod for moving the rod to the door, a collar on saidrod, a finger on said collar, a cam-shaped groove in said casing engaged by the finger, said groove having a straight portion adapted to be engaged by the finger whereby the spring is rendered inoperative and whereby therod is maintained away from the door, and an extension on said door adapted to be in the way of the finger when the same engages the straight portion of the groove and whereby said finger is operated and the spring renderedoperative to move the rod toward the door whereby when the door is closed said rod automatically locks said door.

F. E. GROS-VOLD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 13.0. 

